Folding chairs

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a folding chair comprising a ground frame and seat and back portions in which the ground frame has two pairs of legs, each pair pivotally connected at their ends remote from the ground, the seat is pivotally mounted between one opposing leg of each pair and slidably supported between the other opposing leg of each pair so that the seat is capable of folding into a flat position between the legs when the chair is not in use, and the back portion is mounted for limited pivotal movement between the pairs of legs.

nlted States Patent 91 1111 3,857,604 Scott 1 Dec. 31, 1974 [54] FOLDING CHAIRS 3,450,432 6/1969 Minsker .f. 297/17 3,756,166 9/1973 Piretti .1 108/6 [75] memo" Frederlck ROSS Dl84,820 4/1959 Langhjelm ct al. 297/418 ux England FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73] -Ass1gnee: H|lle International Limited,

. 647,216 10/1962 ltaly 297/50 watford, Hertfordshlre England 1,425,235 12/1966 France 297/16 [22] Filed: July 5, 1973 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier [21] Appl' 376569 Assistant ExaminerWilliam E. Lyddane Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Baldwin, Wight & Brown [30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 13, 1972 Great Britain 32818/72 57 ABSTRACT The present invention is directed to a folding chair [52] U.S. Cl 297/16, 297/52, 2299770148138, comprising a ground frame and Seat and back portions I 1 Cl A47 ,4/00 in which the ground frame has two pairs of legs, each 34 39 pair pivotally connected at their ends remote from the g 55 4 8 ground, the seat is pivotally mounted between one opposing leg of each pair and slidably supported between the other opposing leg of each pair so that the seat is [56] References cued capable of folding into a flat position between the legs UNITED STATES PATENTS when the chair is not in use, and the back portion is 2,294,340 8/1942 Mains' 297/58 mounted for limited pivotal movement between the 2,525,876 10/1950 Denneym, 297/39 pairs of le 2,789,623 4/1957 L151 297/39 2,991,123 7/1961 Hamilton 297/55 5 Clalms, 2 Drawmg Figures PATENTED BEB3 1 I974 I FOLDING CHAIRS This invention relates to folding chairs and especially to chairs having a seat and back portion of moulded plastics material supported in a tubular framework.

According to the invention a folding chair comprises a ground frame and seat and back portions, in which the ground frame has two pairs of legs, each pair pivotally connected at their ends remote from the ground, the seat is pivotally mounted between one opposing leg of each pair and slidably supported between the other opposing leg of each pair so that the seat is capable of folding into a flat position between the legs when the chair is not in use, and the back portion is mounted for limited pivotal movement between the pairs of legs.

Preferably the back portion is mounted on a common pivot pin with each pair of legs and includes a back support and arm rests.

The chair according to the invention has the advantage that it can be folded into a substantially planar conformation and can then readily be stacked with other chairs or hung from its back support over a horizontal support rail.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair in its open position, and

FIG. 2 is a side view when the chair is collapsed and folded.

Referring to the drawings, the chair of this invention comprises a ground frame made up of two pairs of legs, each in the form of a U and indicated respectively at L, L, the legs at their upper ends being connected by pivot pins A, A, which also serve the purpose of providing a fulcrum for a back portion B.

C indicates a seat portion which is substantially flat, both the seat and back portions being formed of plastics material conveniently in a moulding operation. The

seat portion C is formed with a rim R of increased thickness and at each side has a flat F, in the forward end of which flats are driven or otherwise fixed pins D, D by means of which the seat is pivotally suspended between the front pair of legs while at the rear it is supported by studs E, E slidably engaged in longitudinal slots S formed in each flat.

The sides of the back portion B which provide arm rests have moulded integrally therewith a hinge component H which is dimensioned to fit between sockets at the upper ends of the legs L, L by means of which the back support is capable of pivotal movements relative to the ground frame, this movement being limited in one direction by the moulding of the arm rests abutting the leg members so that the arm rests are maintained, in use, in a substantially horizontal position.

When not in use the chair can be collpased as shown in FIG. 2 and it will be appreciated that on applying pressure to the legs L, L causing them to pivot from the fully apart position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the fully closed position results in a movement of the seat from the horizontal position to a vertical one.

In its folded position the arm rests of the chair can be pivoted to a vertical position so that the chair is substantially planar as can be seen from FIG. 2 and easily stacked, or transported and packaged.

In a preferred embodiment the seat and back are formed of moulded expanded polystyrene and the tubular metal members, of which the legs are formed, are chromium plated. Preferably, as shown, the one pair of legs is slightly smaller in width than the other pair so that when the chair is collapsed they fold one inside the other.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding chair comprising a back rest member having opposite arm rests which include terminal ends, a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs, a seat, a pivotal connection joining one of said terminal ends to one front leg and one rear leg, a pivotal connection joining the other of said terminal ends to the other front leg and the other rear leg, said back rest and said legs being relatively movabale about said pivotal connections between a folded position in which the back rest and legs extend in opposite directions from the pivots in a substantially common plane and an erected position in which the front and rear legs extend at an acute angle to one another, abutment means between at least one of said terminal ends and one of said legs pivotally connected thereto for supporting said back rest in a substantially horizontal plane, pivots connecting said seats to the legs of one of said pairs, and sliding connections connecting the seat to the legs of the other of said pairs for movement of said seat between a folded position substantially in said common plane and an erected position in a substantially horizontal plane.

2. The chair as defined in claim 1 wherein said pairs of legs are each formed by a single generally a U- shaped member.

3. The chair as defined in claim 1 wherein each terminal end is sandwiched between said front and rear legs at the pivotal connections thereof.

4. The chair as defined in claim 1 wherein said back rest member and arm are of an integral one-piece unitary synthetic plastic molding.

5. The chair as defined in claim 4 wherein said abutment means is an integral molded abutment surface of said terminal ends for abutting at least said rear legs at the pivotal connection thereof to said terminal ends. 

1. A folding chair comprising a back rest member having opposite arm rests which include terminal ends, a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs, a seat, a pivotal connection joining one of said terminal ends to one front leg and one rear leg, a pivotal connection joining the other of said terminal ends to the other front leg and the other rear leg, said back rest and said legs being relatively movabale about said pivotal connections between a folded position in which the back rest and legs extend in opposite directions from the pivots in a substantially common plane and an erected position in which the front and rear legs extend at an acute angle to one another, abutment means between at least one of said terminal ends and one of said legs pivotally connected thereto for supporting said back rest in a substantially horizontal plane, pivots connecting said seats to the legs of one of said pairs, and sliding connections connecting the seat to the legs of the other of said pairs for movement of said seat between a folded position substantially in said common plane and an erected position in a substantially horizontal plane.
 2. The chair as defined in claim 1 wherein said pairs of legs are each formed by a single generally a U-shaped member.
 3. The chair as defined in claim 1 wherein each terminal end is sandwiched between said front and rear legs at the pivotal connections thereof.
 4. The chair as defined in claim 1 wherein said back rest member and arm are of an integral one-piece unitary synthetic plastic molding.
 5. The chair as defined in claim 4 wherein said abutment means is an integral molded abutment surface of said terminal ends for abutting at least said rear legs at the pivotal connection thereof to said terminal ends. 